The Samsung Gear Fit is here

Samsung is getting into fitness in a big way. Its new flagship Galaxy S5 has fitness technology built into the phone, its new smartwatches have personal trainer software and now Samsung has even unveiled theGear Fit wrist band.

At Monday’s (24 February) Unpacked 5 event, we were given a pleasant surprise as Samsung showed off the new Gear Fit. We’re not quite sure whether to describe this as a smart band or smartwatch, as it seems to be the perfect fusion of both. Either way, it’s the best example of a watch/fitness gadget we’ve seen at MWC.

In contrast to the newGear 2orGear 2 Neo, the Gear Fit’s primary function is to track you when you walk, run, cycle and hike. It beats other smart bands on the market by having its own screen, letting you instantly see your activity. It also tells you when you receive texts, calls, email and apps, even letting you reject a call if you want to.

The screen itself is pretty unique too. It’s the first wearable gadget to use a curved Super AMOLED screen. Don’t expect it to bend or flex however, as it’s pretty solid. It’s also water resistant and is IP67 certified. Run in the ran all you want!

Just like its smartwatch brothers, the Gear Fit offers a pedometer, heart rate, sleep and other activity monitoring, with an accelerometer and gyroscope built in. But it weighs less, and has a three to four-day battery life under normal usage.

The bright and colourful screen measures 1.84” and there are three interchangeable straps in black, white and orange. And because you can swap them over, Samsung says there’ll be more straps made by designers in the future.

The straps aren’t the only customisable feature. The look of the screen can be altered with themes, letting you change colours and styles whenever you want. Samsung has also released the software to developers, meaning anyone who wants to can build their own apps for the Fit.

If you’re thinking of investing in a smart band, then then the Gear Fit is well worth looking at. It has a screen and lots of new features that make other smart bands look a bit old.